"Pick up the hammer"—that was the reason for their visit.
Although Matilda was young, in Agent Coulson's eyes she was the most capable among their group. If anyone could surprise him, it would be her. That was why he planned to have her attempt to lift the strange weapon that had crash-landed in the New Mexico desert.
Even now, Coulson still believed that Jack Kadere's decision to bring Matilda along had a purpose connected to this hammer.
"Hmm…" Matilda tilted her head, remembering the countless videos uploaded online of locals and soldiers failing to lift the hammer from the crater. It amused her to no end.
"I…" she started to say, only to be cut off by a sudden roar.
"WAAAHHHH!!!"
The cry tore through the sky like thunder.
Matilda blinked. "Huh? That voice… it's that strange uncle again, the one riding that Piggy…"
....
"Kou~ kou~ kou~"
The little pig, half-buried in the bushes nearby, seemed to share in Thor's misery. Raising its head into the pouring rain, it grunted in sync with his cries, "Hmph—hmph—!"
....
The next morning, the storm had passed. The desert air was clear and sharp, as if nothing had happened.
Darcy Lewis opened her eyes. Memories of the previous night came in pieces, but one thing she remembered clearly—Jack Kadere. A sweet smile touched her lips, though her head throbbed faintly.
But then she froze.
Why couldn't she remember what had happened after she stepped into the bedroom?
Did I black out? Did I forget everything?
That's such a waste… That feeling must have been wonderful…
"Darcy~"
Still tangled in her daydream, she heard Jane Foster's teasing voice at the door. Jane leaned casually against the frame, smirking like an older sister catching her sibling in mischief.
"Time to wake up. Your Prince Charming left early~"
"Jane?" Darcy blinked in surprise. "Wait—why are you here? Did you also…? No way. He likes that kind of thing?"
"What are you even thinking?" Jane chuckled, rolling her eyes. "We were up late discussing astrophysics. Seriously."
Darcy's face flushed crimson. "Then… my clothes…?"
"Of course I helped you. You reeked of alcohol. You don't even remember how much you drank, do you?"
Embarrassed, Darcy puffed her cheeks. "It was Jack's fault! He gave me his special mix—'Devil's Bomb.' The taste explodes instantly in your mouth."
"'Devil's Bomb,' huh? Sounds dangerous." Jane arched an eyebrow. "Mind if I try some?"
"He won't let you. It's his special recipe." Darcy folded her arms.
"Heh~" Jane laughed but said no more.
....
Meanwhile, Dr. Erik Selvig sat with a book of Norse mythology, his brow furrowed. He glanced at Jane and Darcy, noticing something subtle.
Strange… they both seem closer to Jack Kadere today. Darcy, sure, she's young and impressionable. But Jane too?
Before he could dwell on it, Jack himself walked in, carrying a tray. "Breakfast is ready." He set it down with casual ease. "No headaches from last night's drinks, I hope?"
Jane looked up from her notes. "Although I don't know why you went to such lengths…" she smiled softly, "…I still have to thank you."
After breakfast, Darcy tugged Jack aside, cheeks red. "You tricked me! You have to make it up to me!"
Jack smirked, pinching her cheek. "Didn't I already? 'Devil's Bomb,' remember?"
"That's nowhere near enough!" Darcy pouted, pressing her hand over his as he tried to pull away. "You owe me more than that."
Her jealousy over Jane lingered, but she couldn't bring herself to let Jack drift away.
He chuckled. "Fine. As long as you're obedient, you can come to me for rewards anytime."
Her eyes lit up. She nodded furiously. "Mm-hmm! I'll be obedient!"
....
Elsewhere, inside S.H.I.E.L.D.'s temporary holding facility, Thor sat in confinement.
Loki appeared, his face solemn. "Brother… I regret to say this, but Mother forbids your return. I only came to say goodbye."
Thor's eyes watered despite his pride. "No… it's I who should apologize… Thank you, Loki, for visiting me."
"Farewell," Loki said with perfect composure.
Thor nodded heavily, resigned.
....
After deceiving his brother, Loki moved to the desert crater where the hammer rested. Standing over Mjolnir, he slowly extended his hand, fingers wrapping around the short handle.
This is my right. My destiny.
He pulled. Nothing.
He clenched his teeth, set both hands on the handle, and poured all his strength into it.
"Eh—!" His body trembled, veins straining, yet the hammer didn't so much as twitch.
Finally, exhausted, Loki exhaled and adjusted his green cloak. He raised his head, glaring up at the empty sky. Even the self-proclaimed King of Asgard couldn't lift the hammer of Thor.
He turned to leave—then froze.
Approaching across the sand were Coulson, Barbara Morse, and Matilda.
Loki smirked. Confident in his illusions, he cloaked himself, lingering to watch.
"Is this the hammer that made that uncle scream so miserably yesterday?" Matilda asked, crouching to poke the cold metal with a curious finger.
Barbara's eyes gleamed with eagerness. "Why don't I give it a try first?"
Coulson gestured for her to go ahead.
"Alright then." Barbara rubbed her palms together, blew a quick breath of focus into them, and grasped the handle firmly. "Heave-ho!"
Nothing.
She tried again, gritting her teeth. "Heave—ho!"
Still, Mjolnir didn't budge. Not even a speck of dust fell from the ground beneath it.
"Tsk." Loki scoffed quietly, unseen. Mortals, daring to claim what belonged to the gods.
This is Mjolnir—the hammer that not even I, Loki, the rightful ruler of Asgard, could move…
"I'll do it." Matilda, with her usual quiet confidence, stepped forward. Her small hands wrapped around the handle. "It looks heavy, but my brother tested my strength before. Lifting something like this should be no problem."
"Matilda, don't strain yourself too much at once," Coulson warned carefully. "Based on the data we've gathered, this may not be about raw strength. Try slowly first…"
He didn't want the girl injured, especially not with Jack Kadere nearby—he'd never hear the end of it.
"Okay."
Matilda nodded and began exerting her strength gradually.
Loki's smirk deepened. Was this the best they had? Sending out a little girl to attempt the impossible?
Buzz—
"Agent, we're getting a spike—energy readings rising fast!" a S.H.I.E.L.D. technician shouted from the side.
Coulson's eyes widened. Could it be…?
Crack-crack-crack…
The dirt around the hammer began to crumble, chunks sliding down as the ground trembled. The monitoring instruments went haywire, needles swinging violently.
Loki's eyes went round. "What!?!"
"I think… I've got it!" Matilda grinned as she felt the hammer shift ever so slightly. Encouraged, she pulled harder.
"Hmph!" Loki growled, his voice full of disbelief.
Buzz—!!
BOOM!
The mound of dirt exploded outward in a blast of dust and gravel. Under the stunned gazes of everyone present—
Whoosh!
The mighty hammer rose, clutched in the slender arm of the little girl. She lifted it high above her head without faltering.
"Yay! I did it!" Matilda cheered.
But she wasn't overly excited. To her, it still felt like a game. She turned innocently to Barbara with a smile. "Can I have a cigarette to celebrate?"
BOOM—!! BOOM—!!
Thunder cracked across the once-clear sky, lightning snaking through the clouds in violent arcs.
"Oh… my goodness…" A scientist nearly dropped his tablet in shock. "It's been lifted! This thing couldn't be moved an inch, not even by a crane!"
Hum—
Before anyone could react further, Loki appeared in front of Matilda in a flash of green light, his expression twisted with rage.
"Mortal! How did you do this!? You dare blaspheme a god!?"
Startled, Matilda instinctively swung the hammer—
BANG!!!
The blow struck Loki squarely, sending him flying backward like a ragdoll. He smashed through the facility's barriers and disappeared into the distance.
"Oh my god…" Barbara's jaw dropped.
Everyone stood frozen, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
....
Later—
"Jack, you'll never believe what—" Barbara started, pulling Veronica into park outside the hall.
But before she could finish, Matilda came running, her face alight with excitement.
"Brother! Brother!" she called, holding Mjolnir triumphantly in her hand.
Jack Kadere blinked, amused. "What's this? Did Coulson and his team already make a one-to-one replica? Let me see."
He reached out casually and took the hammer from her hand.
"Oh, it's pretty realistic… huh?"
The moment he gripped it, Jack froze. Something felt off—there was a heaviness, a pulse of power running through it. His brow furrowed.
Barbara, Matilda, and Coulson all stared at him in disbelief.
"Wait… you can lift it too?" Coulson muttered.
For a second he wondered if the hammer itself had changed. "May I… try holding it?"
Jack, now aware this was the real Mjolnir, reluctantly handed it over.
Clang!
The hammer crashed straight to the ground, nearly dislocating Coulson's wrist. He grimaced in pain, shaking his hand.
"…Definitely not a replica," Jack muttered under his breath.
....
"Could that man… have been telling the truth?" Dr. Erik Selvig whispered as he watched Matilda swing the hammer around like a toy, lightning crackling from its head.
Jane Foster, still wide-eyed, thought back to the stranger they'd met days earlier. "Is he really Thor?"
She glanced at her cousin Matilda. "But then… why isn't the hammer in his hand, but in hers?"
"Because only she—" Coulson's gaze flicked to Jack, who was standing casually with his arms crossed—"and Mr. Kadere seem able to pick it up…"
"Who exactly are you talking about?" Coulson pressed. "Are you hiding something?"
Jane shot him a sharp look, unwilling to say more. She hadn't forgiven S.H.I.E.L.D. for confiscating her equipment, even if Jack had secretly helped her back up the data.
Selvig, more diplomatic, stepped in. "At the time, we thought he was just a delusional vagrant… but he told us his name was Thor."
Coulson took out a photo from a file. "This man?"
Selvig's eyes lit up. "Yes! That's him! Exactly!" Then suspicion clouded his face. "Wait… how do you have his photo? Did you arrest him?"
"This Thor broke into our temporary facility," Coulson explained, "and tried to lift Mjolnir himself. But he failed."
The two exchanged information quickly.
"He was… accompanied by a pig," Coulson added reluctantly. "A Duroc breed, nothing special. We traced it—it was just a domestic pig that escaped. Except for unusual strength, it was completely ordinary."
Selvig frowned. "But Thor told us he was exiled. By his father—Odin. As in, Odin of Norse mythology…"
He flipped his book open to Odin's entry, sliding it toward Coulson.
"You're an astrophysicist, Doctor," Coulson said dryly. "Do you actually believe this?"
Selvig sighed, glancing out the window. "What do you think?"
Coulson followed his gaze.
Outside, Matilda soared through the sky, hammer in hand, shrieking with laughter as lightning trailed behind her. "Miao-miao, fly slower!"
Coulson pinched the bridge of his nose. "…."
....
"Bring that man Thor in immediately," he ordered his agents.
"Yes, sir."
"And… bring the pig as well."
"…The pig, sir?"
"You heard me."
The agents exchanged baffled looks before hurrying off.
Coulson exhaled slowly, already dreading the reports he'd have to file.
....
On the upstairs balcony, Jack Kadere leaned back in the armchair, one hand lazily resting against the railing. His eyes followed Matilda as she laughed and soared joyfully through the air, Mjolnir spinning around her like a playful guardian. He let out a contented sigh.
"Haa… it's strange. I've only been in New Mexico for such a short while, and I already miss my girlfriends back in New York. Especially their soft lips…"
"Hm? What girlfriends?"
Darcy exhaled a thin stream of smoke, her sharp gray-green eyes narrowing in playful suspicion.
Before Jack could reply, Barbara—leaning against the balcony rail with practiced ease—raised an eyebrow. With a smirk, she plucked a prickly pear slice between her fingers and teasingly pressed it against Jack's lips. "Don't let him fool you, Darcy. Jack has plenty of little girlfriends."
Jack chuckled as he took the fruit, the corners of his mouth curling mischievously.
Darcy ignored Barbara's teasing. Instead, she rested her head against Jack's knee, her golden curls spilling freely. In a softer tone, she asked, "Then… am I not enough for you? Am I not performing well?"
"You're doing perfectly," Jack reassured her smoothly. He reached over, plucked a black cherry from the fruit bowl—a local New Mexico delicacy—and slipped it gently between her lips.
Even while indulging the two women, Jack's gaze drifted to the far horizon. His voice turned thoughtful. "Enjoy this while you can. Things here are nearly settled… it's almost time to return to New York."
The moment his words faded, the sky above them shuddered. Clouds twisted into a massive vortex, swirling violently. From its center, a dazzling rainbow beam pierced downward—
BOOM!
The unmistakable brilliance of Asgard's Bifrost Bridge.
Jack's eyes narrowed. "So… the cavalry's here. That means Sif and the Warriors Three are about to make their entrance. And Destroyer won't be far behind…"
Down below, Coulson's S.H.I.E.L.D. convoy pulled up. One of the armored transports screeched to a halt, and Thor, still in handcuffs, was marched out.
"What—?" Thor froze mid-step. His blue eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before him: his enchanted hammer, Mjolnir, gleefully twirling through the air in the hands of a mortal child. For the first time in centuries, the God of Thunder faltered.
Behind him, Darcy—trailing along with a sheepish grin—nudged Thor forward. "Hey, big guy, don't block the way."
Before Coulson could even begin his questioning, his earpiece crackled with urgent reports: "Director, we detected a surge of extraordinary energy. Massive spike. It disappeared just as quickly—fifteen miles northwest."
Coulson immediately stiffened, then turned to his team. "Change of plans. Let's move." He and his agents piled into their vehicles and sped off, leaving Thor momentarily unattended.
That was all Thor needed. His booming voice carried across the open field: "Little one! Why… why can you lift my hammer?"
Matilda descended lightly, the hammer clutched effortlessly in her small hands. She blinked innocently at him. "Weird uncle, I don't know why. But my brother said this hammer belongs to you."
Thor's shoulders slumped, his tone bitter. "…It was mine. Once. But I no longer seem worthy to lift it." His eyes, full of desperate pride, met hers. "Will you let me try again?"
"Okay."
Remembering how Coulson nearly dislocated his arm trying, Matilda carefully placed Mjolnir on the ground in front of him. "But be careful, uncle."
Thor nodded gravely. He wrapped his hands around the familiar handle. His heart pounded as he summoned every ounce of strength, every fragment of his divine will…
But nothing happened.
The hammer refused him.
Breathing hard, Thor released the handle, his face shadowed by shame and disbelief. Looking at Matilda, he asked in a low, almost fearful tone, "Child… how do you plan to use this power?"
The weight of Mjolnir, in the fragile hands of a mortal girl, left him uneasy.
Matilda only smiled brightly. She stretched out her hand, and with a flash, Mjolnir leapt back into her palm as if it belonged there. Her eyes sparkled with determination. "I'll use it to protect the innocent!"
Thor froze. Her words echoed in his mind.
Protect…
He heard his father's voice, Odin's booming wisdom resounding in memory: A true king must have more than power. He must have a benevolent heart.
For the first time since his banishment, Thor's eyes softened.
And in Matilda's grasp, Mjolnir began to hum.
BZZZZZZ—
The hammer vibrated faintly, as if acknowledging his intent.